Thumbtack tool

ABSTRACT

A hand-held tool for holding a thumbtack and applying force to the thumbtack in order to insert or remove the thumbtack from a surface. The tool includes a clip adapted to house the head of the thumbtack and a pistol shaped hand grip. The clip and hand grip allow application of force to be applied to the thumbtack through the tool. Additionally, the tool provides storage for a supply of thumbtacks in a cavity in the pistol-grip.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to tools for inserting and removingfasteners, and more particularly to a tool for holding, inserting andremoving a thumbtack from a surface.

In the use of thumbtacks there is a need for a tool through which forcecan be applied to the thumbtack for the insertion and removal of thethumbtack. The invention provides a tool with a grip which facilitatesthe application of force to the thumbtack. The invention also provides atool with a grip which includes means for storage of a supply ofthumbtacks.

Examples of prior art tools for inserting and removing fasteners such asthumbtacks are illustrated in the following patents: U.S. Lipson Pat.No. 2,094,459 issued Sep. 28, 1937, Hayden U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,112issued Dec. 5, 1950, Rodin U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,811 issued Feb. 12, 1957,Tupta U.S. Pat. No. 2,929,067 issued Mar. 22, 1960, Leniz U.S. Pat. No.3,009,155 issued Nov. 21, 1961, and Baro U.S. Pat. No. 3,218,030 issuedNov. 16, 1965.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a tool for supporting a thumbtack which has ahead and a pointed shaft extending from the head. The tool provides ameans for applying force to the thumbtack for insertion of the thumbtackshaft into a surface or for removal of the shaft from a surface. Thetool includes a body having a forward end and a rearward end, theforward end including means for releaseably engaging the head of thethumbtack with the shaft projecting forwardly. The rearward end of thetool includes a means for gripping the tool and applying force to thethumbtack through the body of the tool.

In one embodiment, the means for releaseably engaging the head of thethumbtack includes a pair of parallel members joined by a bite portionwhich together form a U-shaped clip member. The parallel members arespaced apart and adapted to slideably house at least a portion of thehead of the thumbtack therebetween. One of the parallel members isattached to the forward end of the tool body. The other of the parallelmembers includes a central slot. The central slot is of a sufficientwidth to allow the shaft of the thumbtack to slide into the slot and tobe housed in the slot with the pointed end of the shaft projectingforwardly through the slot away from the body.

In one embodiment, the means of gripping the tool and applying force tothe thumbtack through the body of the tool includes at least a portionof the body and the rearward end formed as a pistol shaped grip whichincludes a cavity which provides means for storage of a supply ofthumbtacks.

In one embodiment, the parallel members are generally planar and havelower portions joined by the bite portion, such that the central slotopens upwardly.

In one embodiment, the parallel members and the bite portion, whichtogether comprise the clip member, defines a cavity therebetween whichopens upwardly.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tool with means to applyforce to a thumbtack to insert the thumbtack or to remove the thumbtack.One of the features or advantages of the construction embodying thisinvention is that the clip member slideably engages the thumbtack andallows the application of force to the thumbtack for both insertion andremoval. Additionally, the embodiment of the tool in the form of apistol grip facilitates the application of force through the tool to thethumbtack for both insertion and removal of the thumbtack. In addition,an embodiment of the invention in the form of a pistol grip may provideor certify for storage of a supply of thumbtacks.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the followingdetailed description, claims and drawings.

Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited in its application tothe details of construction and the arrangement of the components setforth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Theinvention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orbeing carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a thumbtack tool embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a frontal view of a thumbtack tool embodying the invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a thumbtack tool embodying the invention.

FIG. 4 is an expanded side view of the forward end of a thumbtack toolillustrating the invention supporting a thumbtack.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective of the forward end of a thumbtack toolillustrating the invention supporting a thumbtack.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

A thumbtack tool embodying the invention is illustrated in the drawings.

The tool comprises a body 10, having a forward end 11 and a rearward end12. The forward end supports a clip 15 for gripping a thumbtack 13.While not illustrated in all of the drawings, the thumbtack 13, held byclip 15, is shown in FIG. 4 and in phantom lines in FIG. 5.

The clip 15 is an integral part of an elongated strip 14, the end ofstrip 14 being bent in a U-shape to form clip 15. Clip 15 has twogenerally parallel sides 16 and 17 joined at their lower ends by a bite18.

The parallel sides 16 and 17 are spaced apart sufficiently toaccommodate the head of thumbtack 13. One of the parallel sides, 16, hasa slot 19 which opens in an upward direction. This slot has a widthsufficient to receive the shaft of the thumbtack and so that thethumbtack shaft extends forwardly and away from the end 11 of thethumbtack tool. The other parallel side, 17, is an integral Part of theremainder of planar strip 14 and strip 14 is held in the thumbtack toolbody by opposed slots 20 and 21. In this manner, the planar strip 14 isslidable in slots 20 and 21 and relative to the body of the thumbtacktool.

Rearward end 12 of the tool includes a depending portion 22 which isshaped in the nature of a pistol grip. The pistol grip 22 provides aneffective mechanism for applying a force through the body of thethumbtack tool such that a thumbtack held by clip 15 can be insertedinto a surface. Similarly, the grip provides a mechanism whereby apulling force can be applied to the thumbtack tool for removal of athumbtack from a surface.

The upper ends of side 16 on either side of slot 19 have beveledsurfaces 23 and 24. These beveled surfaces facilitate inserting the clip15 under a thumbtack to position the slot 19 over the thumbtack shaftand position the thumbtack head for removal from the surface in which itis embedded.

The end 25 of strip 14 opposite to the end carrying clip 15 is speciallyformed to hold the strip 14 on the body against longitudinal movementwhen a force is being applied to remove the thumbtack. Morespecifically, the end is bent in a general U-shape form to providedetent 26 which would engage the body at 27 when the removal force isbeing applied. With this arrangement, an adequate force can be appliedto the thumbtack for removal but that force will not cause relativemovement between strip 14 and the body of the thumbtack tool.

A cavity 28 is provided in the pistol grip portion 22 of the thumbtacktool. This cavity serves as a storage space for a supply of thumbtacks.

While the strip 14 is in the full line position illustrated in FIG. 1,it covers the access opening 30 to the cavity. Strip 14 is flexible andthe end 25 of strip 14 can be moved upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 1, andtoward the left to move the strip 14 to the dotted line position in FIG.1 to open cavity 12 and permit thumbtacks to be either loaded into orremoved from the storage cavity.

This construction provides a compact and effective tool for insertionand/or removal of thumbtacks and also a storage space for a thumbtacksupply.

I claim:
 1. A tool for supporting a thumbtack having an enlarged headand a shaft extending away from the head, the tool comprising a bodyhaving a first elongated portion having a longitudinal axis and aforward end, said body also having a second generally elongated portionspaced from said forward end and extending laterally of saidlongitudinal axis in the form of a pistol grip, said forward endsupporting means for releaseably gripping the thumbtack for insertioninto a surface and for releaseably gripping the thumbtack for removalfrom a surface, said gripping means including a U-shaped clip memberhaving a pair of parallel members joined by a bite portion, saidparallel members being spaced apart nd adapted to slideably house atleast a portion of the head of the thumbtack therebetween, one of saidparallel members including a portion slideably engaged with the forwardend of said body and the other of said parallel members including acentral slot adapted to house a portion of the shaft of the thumbtackwith the pointed shaft of the thumbtack projecting forwardly through theslot away from the body.
 2. A tool for supporting a thumbtack as setforth in claim 1 wherein said parallel members are generally planar andeach parallel member has a lower portion joined by said bite portionsuch that said central slot opens upwardly.
 3. A tool for supporting athumbtack as set forth in claim 2 wherein said parallel members and saidbite portion define a cavity therebetween, said cavity opening upwardlyand defined so as to retain the head of a thumbtack placed in theU-shaped clip member.
 4. A tool for supporting a thumbtack as set forthin claim 3 wherein said pistol grip portion includes means defining acavity adapted to house a supply of thumbtacks, the pistol grip portionhaving an opening providing access to the cavity defined in the pistolgrip.
 5. A tool for supporting a thumbtack, as set forth in claim 4,wherein the tool further comprises means for slideably opening andclosing the opening to the cavity, the opening and closing meansincluding the parallel members slideably engaged with the body.
 6. Atool for supporting a thumbtack , as set forth in claim 5, wherein saidone of the parallel member engaged with the body includes a detent meansfor releasably securing said opening and closing means in engagementwith said body.
 7. A tool for supporting a thumbtack having an enlargedhead and a pointed shaft extending away from the head, the toolcomprising a body having a first elongated portion having a longitudinalaxis and a forward end, said body also having a second generallyelongated portion spaced from said forward end and extending laterallyof said longitudinal axis in the form of a pistol grip, said forward endsupporting gripping means for releaseably gripping the thumbtack forinsertion into a surface and for releaseably gripping the thumbtack forremoval from a surface, said first portion of said body having arearward end and said pistol grip projecting from said rearward end,said gripping means including a U-shaped clip member having a pair ofparallel members, the parallel members being spaced apart and adapted toslideably house at least a portion of the head of the thumbtacktherebetween, one of said parallel members including a portion engagedwith the forward end of said body and the other of the parallel membersincluding a central slot opening upwardly, the clip member having a biteportion joining said parallel members, said parallel members and saidbite portion defining a cavity opening upwardly and adapted to house aportion of the head of the thumbtack with the pointed shaft of thethumbtack projecting forwardly through the central slot, the cavitybeing defined so as to retain the head of a thumbtack placed in the clipmember, said body having a rearward end, the pistol grip including meansdefining a cavity adapted to house a supply of thumbtacks and the cavityhaving an opening providing access to the cavity defined in the pistolgrip, means for slideably opening and closing the opening to the cavity,the opening and closing means including the one of the parallel membersengaged with the body.
 8. A tool for supporting a thumbtack, as setforth in claim 7, wherein the tool further comprises means forselectively retaining fixed relation between the body and the grippingmeans during insertion and removal of the thumbtack from a surface andproviding sliding relation therebetween during application of releasingforce, the retaining means including a detent located on the portion ofthe parallel member for releaseable engagement with the body.